Category: Columbus-Blue-Jackets

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired center Mark Letestu from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fourth round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft, Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson announced tonight.

Letestu, 26, has registered one assist and two penalty minutes in 11 games with the Penguins this season. He collected 14-13-27, 13 penalty minutes and was +4 in 64 games with Pittsburgh in 2010-11. He ranked fourth among NHL rookies in game-winning goals (three), seventh in power play goals (four) and 11th (tied) in goals. In 85 career NHL games, he has 15-14-29 and 17 penalty minutes and added 0-2-2 in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired center Ryan Russell from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for right wing Mike Blunden, Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson announced today. The trade is pending Blunden passing a physical.

Russell, 24, is the identical twin brother of Blue Jackets defenseman Kris Russell. Ryan Russell registered 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points, 48 penalty minutes and was +17 in 65 games with the American Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs in 2010-11. He added 7-2-9 in 20 playoff games, helping the Bulldogs reach the Calder Cup Western Conference Final.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Grant Clitsome to a two-year contract, Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Clitsome, 26, registered four goals and 15 assists for 19 points, had 16 penalty minutes and a +2 plus/minus rating in 31 games with the Blue Jackets in 2010-11. He ranked second on the club in time on ice average (21:16) and was fourth among defensemen in goals, assists and points. He added 5-10-15 and 22 penalty minutes in 32 games with the Springfield Falcons, Columbus’ American Hockey League affiliate.

“We are pleased to have Grant signed for two more years,” Howson said. “He is a great example of a player we drafted who has patiently developed at the collegiate and AHL levels and become a solid, dependable NHL defenseman.”

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that Ian Clark has joined the organization as goaltending coach. Clark most recently served as the Vancouver Canucks goaltending coach and consultant from 2002-10.

“We are very pleased to welcome Ian to our coaching staff,” said Blue Jackets Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson. “He has a tremendous amount of experience working with NHL goaltenders and helping them improve their level of play. We look forward to him working with all of our goaltenders and strengthening that position throughout our organization.”

“Having worked with Ian in the past, I believe his work ethic, knowledge of the goaltending position and the way he communicates with players will make him an excellent addition to our staff,” said Blue Jackets head coach Scott Arniel. “He has worked with a number of very successful NHL goaltenders and will be a great resource for our players at this very important position.”

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired defenseman Nate Guenin from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for center Trevor Smith.

Guenin, 28 (12/10/82), appeared in three games for Columbus this season, going scoreless with two penalty minutes (PIM) while averaging 14:47 time-on-ice (TOI). The 6-2, 210-pound defenseman was recalled from Springfield of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Oct. 16 and reassigned back to the AHL on Oct. 26. He has also appeared in 30 AHL games in 2010-11, collecting 0-5=5 points with 21 PIM with Springfield.

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed center Ryan Johansen to a standard three-year entry level contract, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Johansen, 18, was the Blue Jackets’ first pick, fourth overall, in the 2010 Entry Draft held June 25-26 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. He scored 25 goals and 44 assists for 69 points, had 53 penalty minutes and was +17 in 71 games with Portland of the Western Hockey League during the 2009-10 season. He ranked second among WHL rookies in points. He added 6-12-18 and 18 penalty minutes in 13 playoff games to lead all WHL rookies in playoff scoring.

“We are pleased to have Ryan signed prior to the opening of training camp,” Howson said. “He is a big part of our future and we look forward to getting his Blue Jackets career started this weekend at the annual Prospects Tournament in Traverse City.”

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Ben Guite to a one-year contract, General Manager Scott Howson announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Guite (pronounced GEE-tay), 32, was scoreless with four penalty minutes in six games with the Nashville Predators in 2009-10. He also had 8-13-21, 87 penalty minutes and was +3 in 64 games with Milwaukee of the American Hockey League. He added 3-1-4 and six penalty minutes in seven playoff games for the Admirals.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed forward Mike Blunden to a one-year contract, General Manager Scott Howson announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Blunden, 23, recorded two goals and two assists for four points, 59 penalty minutes and was +3 in 40 games with the Blue Jackets in 2009-10. He scored the first goal of his NHL career against Chicago on March 25. He also collected 7-9-16 and 43 penalty minutes in 25 games with the Syracuse Crunch, Columbus’ American Hockey League affiliate.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender David LeNeveu to a one-year, two-way NHL-American Hockey League contract, General Manager Scott Howson announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

LeNeveu appeared in 67 games for Salzburg of the Austrian League in 2009-10, posting a 2.58 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and two shutouts. He was 6-2 with a 2.17 GAA in nine playoff games to lead Salzburg to the Austrian Championship.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired defenseman Michael Ratchuk from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for right wing Stefan Legein, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today. He was then assigned to the Syracuse Crunch, the club’s American Hockey League affiliate.

Ratchuk, 21, was Philadelphia’s third pick, 42nd overall, in the 2006 Entry Draft. He has registered one assist and two penalty minutes in five games with the AHL’s Adirondack Phantoms this season. In 85 career AHL games, he has collected 6-15-21 and 48 penalty minutes. He played his first full AHL season in 2008-09 and notched 5-12-17 and 44 penalty minutes in 77 games.